The Tragedy Back Then

Alaric's eyes widened in astonishment, a flicker of disbelief crossing his features. The initial shock quickly melted away, replaced by a slow, knowing grin that danced at the corners of his mouth.

Lara blinked, her eyes narrowing slightly as she studied Alaric's face. Had he truly not noticed before? But why does she feel that something about his demeanor struck her as odd — as if he were in an unusually good mood?

The gears in Alaric's mind began to turn, slow and deliberate, piecing fragments of memory together.

Two years ago, tragedy struck the Norse family. Everyone in Savadra knew about the incident — after all, who wouldn't know of the brave and heroic General Odin? The story had spread like wildfire. The General's only daughter was found dead in a river, the blame falling on human traffickers. The loss had cast a long shadow over the Norse name.